Trade Aid Napier store celebrates decades of trading fairly
Wanting to make the world better, to think creatively outside the box and to find a new ethical and equitable way to trade, drove the beginnings of Trade Aid in New Zealand 50 years ago, says chief eexcutive Geoff White.
“We’re proud that this year marks 50 years of Trade Aid trading fair and having a positive impact, both here and abroad.”
Geoff says Trade Aid is a social enterprise that champions an alternative way to trade — ethical and sustainable trade that consumers can be proud of.
Trade Aid founders Vi and Richard Cottrell were living in northern India working with organisations helping the 100,000 displaced Tibetan refugees after the Chinese takeover. These people were living in settlements in areas like northern India where there was little arable land available for agriculture. How these settlements were going to become economically viable was a huge concern. Passed-down generational skills became important as artisans banded together to produce hand-crafted products and become self-reliant in the process.
Returning to New Zealand in 1972, Vi and Richard wanted to find a way to continue to help those they had worked with overseas. They gathered their friends, cleared out their garage in preparation for artisan handcrafts from around the world, and started Trade Aid as a social enterprise.
“This was before anyone knew what a social enterprise was and well before the term fair trade had even been coined. Creating fairness in trade had begun and the Kiwi public celebrated the style, craft, quality and social good that the humble bag represented,” he says.
Trade Aid Napier marked the occasion a couple of weeks ago with tastings in store and buskers outside.
“We celebrated alongside World Fair Trade Day with lots of goings on,” says Napier Trade Aid manager Maureen Kennedy.
Trade Aid Napier was started in 1975 by a small group of women, mostly from St Paul’s Church, who put in $100 each to buy stock.
“Some of these ladies are still alive, so we thought we should celebrate this with all the people who have volunteered for Trade Aid Napier,” Maureen says.
When Trade Aid Napier opened its doors 48 years ago, Maureen says there were two women volunteers in the morning and two in the afternoon.
“That’s 16 hours a day voluntary. For the next 30 years, that was 149,760 voluntary hours — and this does not include all the stalls at fairs and galas that were attended to.”
In 2006, Trade Aid advertised for a part-time manager. And I was chosen — lucky me,” Maureen says.
Each Trade Aid is run by a local shop trust, which works alongside the manager and volunteers.
Geoff says by 1983, Trade Aid had established its ideas on how to make a fairer world.
“We knew that to fundamentally change trade you needed to be involved with big-selling products that really mattered to every household, everywhere. We needed to think big, so we did. We took on tea, one of the biggest food commodities there is. Followed by coffee. Fairtrade coffee in this country was born.”
Trade Aid food products have expanded to many categories over the years, culminating in Trade Aid’s Sweet Justice Chocolate Factory, which Geoff says makes delicious organic chocolate that doesn’t compromise on values.
“Buying fair trade helps people to live and work in dignity. We will continue to champion ethical and sustainable trading practices, and to make a positive impact on the world that will benefit both producers and consumers for years to come.”
Napier Trade Aid volunteers’ 48th birthday celebration for anyone who has worked at Trade Aid Napier, Saturday, June 17, St Paul’s Church, Tennyson St, at 2.30pm. Confirm your attendance by phoning 8350877 or email napier@tradeaid.org.nz.